Spill plug



June 20, 1961 E.G.ROLAND SPILL PLUG Filed Aug. 12, 1958 INVENTOR. Edgar 6. Roland BY W HIS A TTORNE Y5 Uni? Star ge 0155 2,988,755 SPILL PLUG I Edgar G. Roland, P.0. Box 353, Grand Ave., Mars, Pa., assignor of one-half to William Davis, Pittsburgh, Pa. Filed Aug. 12, 1958, Ser. No. 754,652 5 Claims. (Cl. 4---201)v The present application relates to a removable spill plug device for stoppering the drain opening in double sinks, single sinks or the like. More particularly, this device, in addition to being highly effective in its plugging function to prevent the contents from escaping from the sink bowl, also presents a spill pipe portion with a substantial length upstanding from the level to which liquid is drawn in the sink and serving as an open funnel to pass waste products directly into the drain opening without in any way contaminating the sink contents.

Devices of somewhat analogous construction in the prior art have generally assumed more or less a permanent character of installation adapted to one particular sink or bowl design, primarily as a permanent standpipe to overflow in the expected manner to keep the stage of the liquid level from exceeding a certain point and thus always stay thereat or therebelow. For that reason, both the dimension of the stoppering end and the overall length were predetermined for a particular sink height, water level, and for the particular size sink opening fitting provided in that specific sink. Marketability of overflow devices for such specialized classes of sink owners, particularly where the design includes a stop cock or throat valve within the overflow device, presents practical difficulties with the only solution being to stock and offer a wide assortment of shapes, grades and valve and throat sizes, etc. so as to individually cover the range of existing sink forms. Moreover, little or no attention was given in the past to the most advantageous proportions for attractiveness and particularly the desire for a drastically necked-down funnel shape at the head of the overflow device for its intended function.

. The present invention has comparatively a universal design in its application to sinks and materially reduces or eliminates the foregoing disadvantages in connection with different sinks so as to readily accommodate to the main kinds. For such purpose, I provide a bipartite assembly with a reversible, hollow-cored plug part at the base and with an upstanding funnel-topped spill pipe part to which the plug part is snap-connected to form a quick attachment joint. The hollow core of the plug provides an open-centered construction for passing assorted sizes of table scraps downwardly and one face of the plug carries a cylindrical skirt to fit the popular, recessed three-inch i.d. size sink drain opening, whereas the opposite face is adapted for fitting some less common sink drain opening. My bipartite assembly is merely unsnapped at the joint for simple reversal of its plug part thereon so as to selectively expose the right face for making a centered, water-tight seal with the sink chosen for its installation.

I further provide a novel shape to the funnel at the top of the spill pipe, producing a generally cylindrical cavity therein across its major dimension but being relatively flat and narrow at right angles thereto so that in completing the transverse cross section this cavity imparts a generally rectangular shape thereto. Thus, when the device is positioned with proper orientation to stopper a rinse water bowl or dishwater bowl or the like, the flared funnel thereupon exposes a long dimension running one way only so as to receive waste without any appreciable diminution in the effective working width of that bowl. Therefore, coffee cups, saucers, plates, pans, etc. can readily be decanted of their residue before being immersed in the water. construction equipped with an undersink garbage disposal unit, then peelings, pits, coffee grounds and other scraps of solid waste can equally Well be discharged down the funnel through the sink waste opening; but in any case liquid residue such as coffee, cooking juices and fruit juices can be discharged, all with the sink proper remaining filled and uncontaminated.

Further features, objects and advantages will either be specifically pointed out or become apparent when for a better understanding of the invention reference is made to the following written description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in section of a sink bowl incorporating one embodiment of the present invention therein;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view of the device of FIG- opening 12 in a kitchen sink 14. A conventional swing faucet 16 passes in an are generally above the mouth of the opening 12 for introducing a stream of hot, cold or: tempered water which is flushed down the device 10a when registering therewith or, when at either side, the

stream brings the water to a liquid level 18 in conventional way within the sink 14. Irrespective of whether the sink 14 is of the so-called single tub or double tub construction, the sink opening 12 therein is permanently connected directly to or through the intermediary of a garbage disposal unit 20 to a waste drain pipe 22. Depending on its character, this sink 14 is used either to wash or to rinse the assorted table ware indicated therein by.

dotted lines.

The device 10a is of two-piece plastic material construction of which the upper part 24 has a pipeshaped main body or stem of 1 /2" uniform outside diameter (i.e., r=% in FIGURE 3) which in one physical-1y constructed embodiment of the invention was six inches long and was integrally funnel-topped. A uniform wall thickness of approximately /a" has been found satisfactory, and the material is preferably a light thermoplastic synthetic resin such as polyethylene although a construction made of an acrylic resin plastic commercially known as Plexiglas is entirely suitable. In any case, the plastic is preferably one which can be marketed in different solid colors, for instance, red, green and yellow.

The funnel-topped portion constitutes the hollow frustum of a semicylinder of constant outside radius R in FIGURE 4 and is oblongly narrow at the parallel opposite sides 26 so that the length (l) to width (w) relationship imparts a rectangular cross section of ratio at least two to one at the mouth of the funnel. A lower end portion 28 of the pipe body has an inside groove 30 extending circumferentially thereabout a short distance above its lower extremity.

The other part 32a of the device 10a is hollow cored and formed of the same plastic having the color selectedfor the upper part 24. A flat circular peripheral flange 34 is integral with the lower part 32a and carries at its center a stub tube 36 which extends a short distance on each side of the plane of and perpendicularly to the flange 34. At each side of said plane the stub tube car.- ries a circumferentially continuous protruding ridge 38 which when the parts 2 8 and 36 tightly telescope one Patented June 20, 1961 If the bowl is of a modern over the other, will interfit with the groove 30 on that side to form a snap joint connection.

A pair of generally cylindrical skirts 40 and 42 concentric to the tube 36 and of diifering diameters is affixed to the flange 34, the skirt 40 for instance being of three inch outside diameter and the other skirt 42 being of 2 /2 inch outside diameter. When the larger skirt 40 is fitted within the throat of the three-inch sink opening 12 (FIGURE 1), water pressure on the upper face of the flat flange 34 forces it snugly downwardly into absolute flatness to provide a watertight seal with the mouth of the sink opening 12. The reason for the present multipiece construction is to provide a universal design to the plug whereby the joint can be unsnapped and the plug 32a reversed on the pipe body in a manner to bring the 2 /2 inch opposite flange 42 into the watertight sealing position with a 2% inch sink opening generally indicated at 44 in FIGURE 4. The 2 /2 inch size sink opening is not too common, but this embodiment of the invention will accommodate either size. The outside diameter R of the circular flange 34 (FIGURE 3) is approximately equal to the outside radius R at the top of the funnel of the part 24 of FIGURE 4. In other words, the skirt on the uppermost one of the two faces of flange 34 divides the surface of that face into inner and outer annular areas both subject to the water pressing downwardly thereon.

, The flanges 40 and 42, one or the other, serve to hold the device upright while water is being drawn to the level 18 and thereafter the static water pressure holds the device sealed and firmly seated. This pressure is obviously not excessive; and at the will of the operator, the two part assembly can readily be tilted and lifted bodily from the sink. However, if preferred, it can be removed in two stages merely by exerting finger pressure on the flange 34 while removing the upper part 24, and thereafter when the level of the water has dropped to the top of the stub tube 36 due to the resulting drainage therethrough, the plug part 32a is easily lifted from the sink opening.

In the modification of FIGURE 5, a plug part 32b in the bipartite device b carries a stub tube 46 which is aflixed to the flat circular flange 34 at one side only in contrast to the preceding embodiment. A circular skirt 48, preferably of 3" outside diameter, concentrically surrounds the tube 46 which for its major portion is coextensive with the skirt 48. The opposite face of the flange 34 is essentially flat so as to accommodate the so-called flat bottom sink 50, i.e., the familiar construction in which a sink strainer 52 is circumferentially continuous and flush with the sink at the periphery of the strainer but formed with the usual set of strainer perforations 54 through the center. Two or more spaced apart integral pins 56 carried by the flat face of the flange 34 are adatped to register with opposed perforations in the strainer 52 to keep the plug part 32b properly centered.

In the device 10b, the pipe body has an outside bevel 58 at the lower end portion 28; and at a distance d therefrom, an outside circumferentially continuous groove 60 is formed. This distance d is equal to the center-to-center distance c between a pair of vertically spaced circumferentially continuous ridges 6'2 formed inside the hollow interior of the stub tube 46. The inside of the portion 28 of the pipe body 58 may, if desired, be grooved on the inside at 30 similarly to the preceding embodiment so as to give the spill pipe itself a universal design adapting it for use with either plug 32a or plug 32b.

It is immaterial whether the selected relative diameters are such that the lower portion of the stem or pipe 24 telescopes within the hollow core of the plug in the manner of a retained bushing or telescopes over the stub tube of the latter as a snugly fitting sleeve thereabout. In any ease in the embodiment of FIGURE 5, the lower portion 28 of the body tightly telescopes within the stub tube 46 from either end of the latter so that the bevel 58 passes the first ridge 62 which it encounters and comes to rest on the shoulder of the second at a point at which the first ridge enters the groove 60. This interfit is shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 5 in which it is apparent that the lower end portion 58 when telescoped with the tube 46 in their relative positions of FIGURE 5 will extend up to but not through the plane of the flange 34. However, when the plug 32b is reversed, the portion 58 of the pipe will extend through the plane of the flange 34 for a distance d by which it correspondingly sits that much lower with respect to the normal water level in the sink, compared to the unreversed position. Thus, the plug part 32b purely by reversal thereof at its joint with the portion 28 can be inverted at will so as to present the right face to a flat bottom sink or to a sink with a recessed opening corresponding to the outside diameter of the cylindrical skirt 48.

In operation, dishwater or rinse water is drawn to the level 18 in the sink 14 with the embodiments 1011 or 10b arranged therein in the joined, assembled positions. The stoppering effect of the plug has been found especially good and yet the throat of the sink opening 12 keeps completely open at the center to receive the residue of coffee from cups or other liquids plus solid waste before the receptacles are immersed in the water. Following is an example of the dimensions of the upwardly open funnel portion of the upper part 24.

Mouth length l (i.e. R approx.) in 4.6 Mouth width w in 2.0 Ratio l/w 2.321

The invention is shown according to FIGURES 1 and 4 to be applied to a recessed sink opening in which the usual strainer or, in garbage disposal installations, the usual closure member is removed prior to application of the present device. On the other hand, FIGURE 5 of the drawing shows the device applied to a flat bottom sink; but in either case, liquid refuse can be readily handled and then flushed down the spill plug by means of the faucet 16 if desired. However, in the inverted position from what is shown in FIGURE 5 and in both positions in the embodiment of FIGURES 1-4, solid scraps can likewise be discharged as schematically indicated in FIGURE 2. It is evident that by unsnapping the joint between the two parts of the device they can each be thoroughly cleaned and flushed ready for drying to keep them in sanitary condition and that moreover they are more readily handled for storage purposes when they can thus be separated into the two pieces. The flexibility of the plastic adjacent the ridges and grooves provides a quick attachment type snap joint, and it is to be understood that a plastic will be selected which shows no tendency to become thermoplastic below or at the boiling temperature of water, i.e., 212 F. The plastic selected sufliciently retains its shape and dimensions to insure a tight fit throughout its period of service as between the stub tube and its companion telescoping pipe portion 28.

Variations within the spirit and scope of the invention described are equally comprehended by the foregoing description.

I claim:

1. A spill plug device comprising plug and pipe parts with telescoping portions thereof effecting alternative junctures between the parts, said junctures effective by means comprising a plurality of spaced apart continuous ridges on one of said telescoping portions and selectively engageable with groove means provided on the other, the telescoping portion of said plug part constituting a stub tube at either end for receiving the telescoping portion of the other of the two parts thereby enabling said parts to be unsnapped at each of said ridge and groove junctures for reversing said plug part so as to present a selected one of the sides thereof facing downwardly and provided with means engageable with a sink opening.

2. For use with an upstanding spill pipe part adapted to introduce waste concentrically to a drain opening, a hollow-cored plug for cornmunicatively connecting said part to said opening comprising a flat peripheral flange arranged about the body of the core of the plug with a stub tube perpendicular thereto, and generally cylindrical skirt means affixed to said flange between the extreme periphery thereof and said stub tube which latter for no more than its major portion extends coextensively in length with said skirt means in the perpendicular direction, said flat flange presenting opposite faces each engageable in one position for a substantially Watertight seal with one drain opening mouth diflering from the other, said skirt means presenting a surface likewise engageable in at least one of said positions for cooperating to establish said watertight seal with the throat of said one drain opening, said stub tube presenting surface means for detachable engagement with said upstanding pipe part in either position for establishing -a substantially watertight seal therewith.

3. For use with a substantially flush mounted plug part adapted to stopper drain openings, said plug part having a hollow core: an upstanding spill pipe having an integral lower end for attachment to said part in its stoppering position so as to introduce waste scraps into the throat of said opening through the hollow core without contamination of liquids stoppered thereby, one surface portion of said pipe having relatively-relieved protuberance-receiving means to form a snap joint at its lower end with said plug part, said pipe having an upstanding end which for its major portion is adapted to extend above the normal liquid level and which comprises an upwardly open funnel which is drastically necked in at the top to receive said scraps, wherein said funnel constitutes the hollow frustum of a semicylinder and wherein said funnel mouth is rectangular in transverse shape with a length to width ratio of the order of 2.3 1.

4. A bipartite spill plug device for detachably stoppering sink openings comprising plastic plug and pipe parts, telescoping portions of said parts being flexible and forming a connection comprising a protrusion in the plastic forming a joint between the parts, said plug part having a flat peripheral flange and carrying cylindrical skirt means of differing diameters on the opposite faces of said flange, the aforesaid telescoping portion of said plug part comprising a stub tube which is open at both ends and which enables one part to be reversed at the joint with respect to the other part, said stub tube presenting tubular portions perpendicularly disposed one on each face of said flange and each arranged within the cylindrical skirt means on that face and with an annular space between.

5. A bipartite spill plug device for detachably stoppering sink openings comprising plug and pipe parts, telescoping portions of said parts including a protrusion of one engageable with a portion of the other to limit telescoping movement at the connection and forming a tight joint between the parts, the aforesaid telescoping portion of one of said parts presenting a hold-down flange arranged at the periphery to receive static water pressure and comprising a stub tube perpendicular to said flange at a center point thereon which is open at both ends and which enables said one part to be reversed at the joint with respect to the other part, said hold-down flange having generally cylindrical skirt means on at least one of the opposite faces of said hold-down flange and arranged in surrounding relation to said stub tube and with an annular space between, said skirt means dividing said flange face into inner and outer annular areas both subject to the static water pressure aforesaid, said flange diameter being larger than said stub tube diameter in the ratio of at least approximately 3:1,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 435,674 Barrett Sept. 2, 1890 703,657 Horn July 1, 1902 1,947,915 Marschall Feb. 20, 1934 2,065,347 Schulse Dec. 22, 1936 2,425,964 Smith Aug. 19, 1947 2,461,656 Norman Feb. 15, 1949 

